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ONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 



OF TELE 



GRAND ENCAMPMENT 



OJ? 



VETERAN BROTHERHOOD 



OF TH» 



STATE OF KANSAS. 



ADOPTED AT TOPEKA, KANSAS, AUGUST 2, 1806. 



jltcfjffton: 

DAILY CHAMPION OFFICE. 



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CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 



OF THE 



GRAND ENCAMPMENT 



OF 



VETERAN BROTHERHOOD 



OF THE 



STATE OF KANSAS. 



ADOPTED AT TOPE K A, KANSAS, AUGUST 2, 1866. 



DAILY CHAMPION OFFICE. 
1866. 



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OFFICERS OF THE GRAND ENCAMPMENT. 



J. E. HAYES, Grand Commander. 

H. S. GREENO, Deputy Grand Commander. 

HARRISON KELLEY, Grand Marshal. 

J. E. BATES, Deputy Grand Marshal. 

S. J. JENNINGS, Grand Secretary. 

T. J. ANDERSON, Grand Corresponding Sec'y. 

J. HUNTOON, Grand Treasurer. 

A. DONNEVAN, Grand Sentinel. 

EDWARD GILL, Deputy Grand Sentinel. 



Corresponding Committee and Delegates to the Grand 
National Encampment. 

Jno. A. Martin, A. J. Huntoon, J. T. Burris, John 
Weir, and B. S. Bassett. 



Committee on Soldiers' Monument. 

J. E. Hayes, T. Ryan, G. H. Hoyt, C. A. Wood- 
worth, Jr., 0. A. Bassett, H. Kelley, S. M. 
Tucker, E. D. Hillyer, and J. K. Wright. 



Executive Committee. 
J. E. Hayes, H. S. Greeno, and S. J. Jennings. 

M EXCHANGB 
21 Mr'05 



CONSTITUTION. 



PREAMBLE. 

Whereas, The power and glory of the United 
States lias been maintained with the best valor and 
blood of the regular and volunteer soldiery of America, 
whereof most of the survivors have honorably returned 
to the peaceful pursuits of civil life. It is hereby de- 
clared to be the duty of those who are fraternally 
bound together by that indisseverable chain of love, 
whose links were forged in the heat of battle, to avail 
themselves of whatever potency lies in united action, 
in order to secure to themselves and to each other, a 
proper respect for their devotion to the' cause of good 
Government, Liberty and Humanity; to aid and com- 
fort their companions, to relieve the suffering and des- 
titute, to secure to themselves and compatriots a just 
and adequate recognition of their merits, to provide 
for their mutual protection, and to promote the gene- 
ral welfare of each other ; and to those ends do ordain 
and establish this Constitution. 

ARTICLE I. 
NAME AND TITLE. 

Sec. 1. This organization shall be known by the 
name, style and title of the Grand Encampment of the 
Veteran Brotherhood. 

ARTICLE II. 
OFFICERS. 

Sec. 1. The officers of the Grand Encampment shall 
consist of a Grand Commander, deputy Grand Corn- 



4 

lnander, Grand Marshal, deputy Grand Marshal, 
Grand Secretary, Grand Corresponding Secretary, 
Grand Treasurer, Grand Sentinel, Deputy Grand 
Sentinel, and Grand Chaplain. 

ELECTIONS. 

Sec. 2. The regular election of officers of this Grand 
Encampment shall be held annually, and shall be by 
ballot. 

Sec. 3. In all elections for officers, a majority of all 
the votes cast shall elect. 

FILLINO VACANCIES. 

Sec. 4. Vacancies in office occurring between the 
regular meetings of the Encampment, may be filled by 
appointment by the Grand Commander. 

WHO MAY BE ELECTED. 

Sec. 5. Any member of the order of Veteran Broth- 
erhood in good standing, shall be eligible to any of the 
offices of the Grand Encampment. 

ARTICLE III. 
QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP. 

Sec. 1. Any person who has served in the army or 
navy of the United States during the late rebellion, 
and has finally been honorably discharged from said 
service, shall be eligible to membership in this organ- 
ization. 

ARTICLE IV. 
FEES. 

Sec. 1. The initiatory fees for all subordinate En- 
campments shall be not less than two dollars, nor more 
than ten dollars. 

ARTICLE V. 
SUBORDINATE ENCAMPMENTS. 

Seo. 1. The Grand Encampment shall have power 



to establish subordinate Encampments, through tike 
Grand Commander and Grand Secretary, to grant 
Charters, dispensation and authority to the same, and 
each subordinate Encampment shall be subject to the 
Constitution. 

GRANTING CHARTERS. 

Sec. 2. On application to the Grand Encampment 
by seven persons eligible to membership, a Charter 
shall be granted to them for a Subordinate Encamp 
ment in any proper locality, but in no case shall any 
such Charter be granted until the sum of ten dollars 
lias been paid therefor into the treasury of this En- 
campment. 

ORGANIZATION. 

Sec. 3. The Grand Commander shall have power, 
ex-officio, to officiate in the organization of any subor- 
dinate Encampment, or he may designate any member 
of a subordinate Encampment to perform that duty, 
and the necessary expenses incurred thereby shall be 
paid by the subordinate Encampment so organized. 

AMENDING CONSTITUTION. 

Sec. 4. This Constitution may be amended or 
abridged at any regular meeting of the Grand En- 
campment, by a vote of three-fourths of all the mem- 
bers present, and every such amendment shall be 
reported to and be binding upon subordinate Encamp- 
ments. 



BY-LAWS. 



ARTICLE I. 
MEETINGS. 

Sec 1. A regular meeting of the Grand Encamp- 
ment of tlie State shall be held each year, on the 
anniversary of some important battle, at such time 
and place as may be designated by the Grand Officers. 

AKTICLE II. 
MEMBERSHIP. 

Sec. 1. The Grand Encampment shall consist of 
representatives chosen by the subordinate Encamp- 
ments of the State, each said subordinate Encampment 
being entitled to three representatives, and one addi- 
tional representative for every fifty members or frac- 
tion over twenty-live. 

Sec 2. The representatives to the Grand Encamp- 
ment shall be chosen by the respective subordinate 
Encampments, by ballot, at the first regular meeting 
after notice of the time appointed for the assembling 
of the Grand Encampment shall have been received. 

AETICLE III. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 

Sec 1. At the time appointed for the meeting of 
the Grand Encampment, it shall be called to order by 
the chief officer, and if a quorum be present, it shall 
proceed to business in regular order. 

Sec 2. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the 



representatives authorized by the organization of the 
Brotherhood present, either in person or by proxy. 

Sec. 3. The first business after the opening of the 
Grand Encampment, shall be the appointment of the 
following Committees : 

On Credentials ; on Subordinate Encampments ; on 
Finance; on Examinations; on Unfinished Business ; 
on the Condition of the Veteran Brotherhood ; on 
Charity ; on Soldiers' Monuments. 

Sec. 4. All Committees so appointed, shall duly 
report to the Grand Encampment. 

Sec. 5. The chief officer shall, immediately after 
the appointment of the standing Committees, commu- 
nicate in writing a statement of his official acts since 
the last Grand Annual Encampment, embracing such 
information and recommendations as he may deem 
expedient. 

Sec. 6. All other officers shall report to the Grand 
Encampment the official acts performed by them sev- 
erally during the recess. 

Sec 7. Each officer and member of the Grand En- 
campment shall have one vote ; but subordinate 
Encampments may authorize one or more of the repre- 
sentatives appointed to cast the entire vote to which 
such subordinate Encampment would be entitled, were 
all of its representatives present. Provided, That no 
representative shall be permitted to represent as proxy, 
or otherwise, more than one subordinate Encampment. 

Sec. 8. No subordinate Encampment shall have a 
vote while in arrears for dues. 

Sec. 9. No disbursements of its funds shall be made 
except by a vote of the Grand Encampment. 

Sec. 10. All questions except on amendments of 



the Constitution or By-Laws shall be decided by a 
majority of the votes cast. 

Sec. 11. Each subordinate Encampment nnder this 
jurisdiction shall, on or before the first day of the 
Grand Annual Encampment, pay the following Grand 
dues : For each member belonging to the order during 
the year, fifty cents. 

Sec. 12. Extra sessions of the Grand Encampment 
may be convened, upon emergency, by a majority of 
the Grand Officers. 

Sec. 13. The Grand Encampment shall have a seal 
of such device as shall hereafter be agreed upon, which 
seal shall be attached to all acts and communications 
of the Grand Encampment ; Provided that, until such 
is procured, a private seal may be used in its stead, 
which shall have the same effect. 

Sec. 14. The dues specified in Art. 3, Sec. 11, of 
the By-Laws, shall be paid in to the Grand Treasurer 
on or before the 8th day of October, 1866, and annu- 
ally thereafter, as provided by said section. 

Sec. 15. Subordinate Encampments may grant de- 
mits to members in good standing, who may wish to 
remove from one locality to another, and the member 
holding such demit shall be entitled to all the privi- 
leges of other members. 



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